Quote:
Originally Posted by Magnum
Is 39', the beginning of the war. Brits got unprepared and at that time convoys were not escorted yet as they were not aware of the incoming u-boat threat. That's why that period was called Happy Times. Only later in 40 convoys start to be escorted and also merchants have their own protection, like deck guns and such. So this is normal, nothing retarded or unusual.
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The A/B convoys out of Freetown suffered from lack of available escorts, and the small coastal convoys were the same, but the first tansAtlantic convoy, HX1, which departed Halifax for Liverpool on September 16, 1939, had four destroyers escorting.
All transAtlantic convoys were escorted. They may have been incompetent at that point, but they would never flat-out ignore a torpedoing or a u-boat sighting.